Killer Bee
by MadnessJones
Summary: TF Prime: In this AU Bumblebee, the last sparkling of Cybertron, was never found by the Autobots. He was instead found by the Decepticons and raised to be one of Megatron's deadly warriors. When this Decepticon assassin comes to earth however, he and his cause will never be the same. No pairings.
1. The Kindness of Strangers

_Author's Notes: Thank you for stopping by to check out this relentless little plot bunny. One thing I love to write about in TF Prime is alternate universes. There are so many possibilities for speculative fiction in this franchise, and now I'm going to give another idea a try. I am also honestly surprised no one has used the title "Killer Bee" yet. I had no clue what to call this fic until I sat down to write the first chapter, and then it just came to me. Thank goodness, because the old title was dumb. Anyway, I need to stop rambling now so you guys can get to the story you clicked here to read. Thank you for checking out "Killer Bee", and I hope you enjoy the story :)_

* * *

Chapter 1

The Kindness of Strangers

Everything in the eastern sector of Iacon was burning. The war for Cybertron had been raging between the Autobots and Decepticons for thousands of vorns at this point, and neither side nor their cities looked the same as when they started. The corrupt Autobot council gave way to the fair and just rule of Optimus Prime, and the idealistic freedom fighters of the Decepticons gave way to the ruthless bloodthirsty soldiers led by their warmongering tyrant, Megatron.

Their battles had become even more heated ever since the disappearance of their planet's source of new life, the Allspark, had been launched into space by the Autobots to prevent the Decepticons from using it as a means to make more soldiers for Megatron's army.

Even their current battlefield, Iacon, had once been a rich city and the very spark of Cybertron. Now it was a faded husk that the Autobots fought desperately to defend; hoping against all hope to keep the few remaining civilians and their sparklings alive. With the recent attack on the eastern sector however, it all seemed like a hopeless endeavor.

Megatron meanwhile relished in the conquest. Optimus Prime led his troops from this city, and the ability to hurt it so easily gave the old silver warlord a sense of satisfaction. His second in command, a slender seeker named Starscream, flew beside Megatron as they surveyed the damage wrought on the former stronghold. Megatron hadn't known this SIC for very long, but his lust for power and loyalty to the Decepticon cause were qualities Megatron found admirable.

None had been spared the wrath of the Decepticons. Autobot soldiers, civilians, and even their sparklings had been slaughtered by Megatron and his forces. He enjoyed it when smaller mechs ran from his presence. He felt excitement every time his sword made contact with an enemy combatant. Even some of his own soldiers were afraid of him when he lost control of every sense except the one that told him to kill.

There was a time when he hated what he was, hated what he was built to be, but the gladiator inside him was tired of being caged and after fighting for so long he finally gave up righteousness and embraced his inner darkness. Perhaps it was hypocritical of Megatron to think of himself in such a functionalist way, but that mindset would be the key to achieving the power he so desperately craved.

Megatron dove down for a landing when he saw one of Soundwave's symbiotes, a small bipedal mech named Rumble, motion for him and Starscream. Megatron and his second transformed, and the miniature dark blue mech bowed submissively at their approach.

"Rumble, report," Megatron ordered.

Rumble's black optic visor displayed a map of the immediate area and showed a blipping yellow dot, indicating an enemy in the area heading toward their direction at a slow pace.

"Should we investigate, master?" Starscream asked.

"Indeed," Megatron purred maliciously, "Perhaps this will finally be Optimus Prime come to face me. Starscream, Rumble, with me."

Rumble transformed into a floating saucer while Megatron and Starscream turned back into Cybertronian jets. The coordinates weren't very far, but flying would still get them there much faster.

When the trio made it to where the disturbance was first logged, they arrived just in time to see a mech with an open chassis wound fall to the ground; dropping a bundle that had been in his arms. The injured mech's spark could be seen faintly flickering even from the air.

/It looks like that wounded empty dropped some cargo,/ Starscream commented over the comm, /Perhaps it is something for the Autobots.../

/Well now it is something for _us_ ,/ Megatron replied; his wicked grin obvious from vocal inflection alone.

The Decepticons swooped down and transformed, surrounding the injured mech like a group of hungry scraplets. The yellow mech was lying on his back, his blue optics fading in and out as he stared up at them in fear. His spark energy was getting fainter, and now that the Decepticons had landed they could see the thing the mech had been carrying was a newspark.

Starscream took an aggressive step forward and aimed his arm at the mech; his missile launchers at the ready.

"Should I put this Autobot wannabe out of his misery, master?" Starscream asked eagerly; ready to shoot the helpless mech.

Megatron took a couple steps forward and stared down at the mech and sparkling, and the mech's vocalizer rasped in pain and fear.

"N-No...please..." The mech practically whispered; unable to raise his voice, "I beg you...spare us. I'll...do anything..."

"Master?" Starscream asked more insistently; wanting to shoot something.

"Why waste our ammunition on the dead?" Megatron asked contemptuously.

Megatron then bent down and stared stonily at the dying mech's exposed spark. The mech tried to speak, probably to further plead for his life and the life of his sparkling, but he could say nothing more. Megatron then took the tip of his claw and barely touched the spark; he knew it would require no more pressure than that. That simple touch was enough to extinguish the spark, ending the mech's suffering once and for all.

The sparkling felt the spark bond with his creator break with the death of his sire, and he cried out for all he was worth. This act forced the Decepticons to finally notice the little being with his yellow protoform armor and big blue optics. He was small, even for a sparkling, and given the destruction in this city he was probably one of the last sparklings left alive on Cybertron; maybe for all time.

"Eurgh! That is the most irritating noise I've ever heard in my life!" Starscream shrieked, "Master, may I at least shoot _this_ one?"

Megatron was about to answer, but then he noticed Rumble walking up to the newspark. The little thing was small, but it was still almost as big as Rumble; who only came up to Megatron's shin. Rumble picked up the crying sparkling and cradled it like a child that had just been given a new doll. This made the sparkling stop bawling for a moment to look up at the strange new presence. Rumble tilted his helm; his expression just as lifeless as ever.

"Don't just look at it, Rumble. Kill it!" Starscream demanded, "Lord Megatron ordered no survivors!"

"Do not presume to speak for me, Starscream," Megatron growled, and Starscream took the hint and shut up, "Now, about this little pest. Does it have a name logged into its helm?"

Rumble plugged a chord from his finger into the sparkling's neck, and a moment later the name BUMBLEBEE popped up on the visor screen.

" _Bumblebee_?" Starscream asked derisively.

"Rumble, give it to me," Megatron commanded.

"What? We're keeping it?!" Starscream asked incredulously.

"Don't be ridiculous," Megatron scoffed, "I have more important matters to attend to than a sparkling. Rumble, give it to me so that I may crush it."

Rumble nodded, though somewhat reluctantly, and handed off the yellow sparkling to his master. Megatron held the sparkling tightly in his servo as the little being squirmed to free himself from the big scary stranger. Megatron smiled evilly at the sparkling and brought it up to his face so that he could watch the life drain from it as it was crushed like a can. When the sparkling was close to Megatron's faceplate however, the frightened sparkling immediately punched him! The sparkling couldn't hurt him, and most his age wouldn't even think to try something like that, but the fact remained that the sparkling had just hit the slagmaker himself.

Rumble was shocked that anyone, even a newspark, would dare attack Megatron. Starscream knew it was funny, but he dared not laugh. Someone did laugh however, and that was Megatron himself.

"Hahahahaha," Megatron chuckled darkly as he regarded the tiny being in his servo, "So, the Bumblebee has a sting? Well now, I'm guessing that if you were bigger you would want to kill me, yes? Starscream, contact Shockwave. Tell him I have a new assignment for him."

"Yes, master," Starscream replied dutifully.

"Rumble, scout the area for survivors," Megatron ordered, "Exterminate what you can, and call for backup if you find an Autobot you cannot handle."

Rumble nodded and began contacting Soundwave through their guardian bond.

"Master?" Starscream suddenly piped up, "Why are we keeping this thing? It's just another Autobot sparkling, and after Optimus Prime deployed the Allspark into deep space I cannot see why you would want to spare even _one_ of these soft sparked functionalist traitors."

"This is no soft spark, Starscream," Megatron said almost affectionately, never taking his optics off the sparkling, "I can see it in his optics, this is a killer in the making. This spawn of an Autobot pleasure drone will be molded in our likeness and trained to terminate that which gave him life. He will be shaped into a perfect Decepticon assassin. First we'll need to do something about these optics. He should have red optics if he is to be one of us."

"Of course, master," Starscream replied more to humor Megatron than anything else.

"He will also require a new designation," Megatron mused, "No warrior of mine is going into battle with a name like _Bumblebee_."

The sparkling started crying again, and Megatron shook him to get him to shut up. The sparkling moaned in discomfort but tried not to cry anymore. Megatron would have a laundry list of tasks for Shockwave to perform for this project. When they were finished, this little mechling would be a twisted merciless killing machine...just like Megatron himself.

* * *

Little Bumblebee was afraid. His sire had been terrified in his final moments of life, and Bumblebee knew that big scary grey guy had killed his sire. He wanted revenge, but he was too small to do anything besides cry and struggle, and he didn't even do the latter very well.

The monster that had killed his sire transformed around him, and he found himself flying through the air in the sinister alt mode. Part of Bumblebee wished he could fly too, so he could fly away from the danger and the hurt. Everything around him was on fire down below, so part of him was at least glad he was inside a protected alt...even if it did belong to the monster.

Several breems later they landed, and the monster transformed once again with his fist around Bumblebee. Bumblebee's head poked out of the fist but he couldn't even turn his neck all the way around, instead being forced to look at the monster's red optics. He could vaguely make out movement from the monster's winged lackey, but the sparkling couldn't turn his helm around to get a better look at him.

They walked into a tall dark building, and the interior was bathed in ominous purple light. It was cold inside, especially since outside had been on fire, and Bumblebee would've shivered if he had been able to move. He groaned in discomfort again, and was rewarded with another harsh squeeze from the angry monster. Bumblebee figured out it was best to be quiet.

They stopped in a large room with slightly better lighting than the others, and the monster started speaking to someone else. Bumblebee was then handed over to someone, and he looked up to see a huge purple mech with no face! A single red optic stared ahead at the giant silver monster, and Bumblebee wanted to cry at the thought of being left alone with this horrible thing. He knew he couldn't though; crying meant he would be hurt again.

The monster handed Bumblebee to the purple one, and Bumblebee couldn't help the whimper that escaped from his vocalizer. The bigger mechs continued their conversation, and Bumblebee's spark tried in vain once again to contact his creator. There was no point to this action, Bumblebee knew his creator was dead, but his spark still cried out for the comfort of his now broken bond.

A few moments later Bumblebee heard pede steps retreating from them, and he saw that the monster and his skinny sidekick were leaving. They were leaving him alone with the faceless mech!

As Bumblebee was placed on a frigid metal table he couldn't help it anymore. He sobbed for all he was worth. The faceless mech didn't punish him, but he also didn't comfort him. He merely went about his business as if Bumblebee didn't exist. That was how Bumblebee felt, too. Like he no longer existed.

The purple mech came back a few moments later and held Bumblebee down with an arm that was nothing more than a gun. Bumblebee feared this new monster was going to shoot him, but instead the faceless mech used his other servo to attach a thick hose of some sort to Bumblebee's chassis. The sparkling cried out in fear, but that act wasn't even enough to make the purple one look down at him let alone make him stop. Bumblebee knew then that whatever was going to happen, was going to happen.


	2. Triple Trouble

_Author's Notes: I know this might be a little confusing at first, but Bumblebee's name changes to that of a different Transformer from this moment on. Also, I'm sorry this update took so long. Work has kept me busy as well as other fanfics, but I should have prioritized this fic more than I did. It's had nearly 400 views and 8 reviews just for the first chapter, which in my experience is pretty awesome. So, thank you so much for your support, and this fic is not dead ^_^'_

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Chapter 2

Triple Trouble

"Reflexes are optimal," Shockwave said dispassionately as he clicked a few keys on the computer terminal, "Now, transform."

The yellow mech before him transformed into a well-armored sports car, and Shockwave recorded how smoothly the transition took place.

"Primary transformation continues to be unaffected by the recent addition to the internal structure," Shockwave droned on, "Is there any discomfort or loss of physical integrity?"

"No," Shockwave's patient grumbled, "Can I go back to robot mode now? We've done this nine times! Nothing is going to go wrong during the demonstration. Trust me. I'm _fine_."

"Your emotional outbursts are illogical," Shockwave admonished him, "There is no pain or loss of integrity, therefore you are in good condition and have no reason to complain."

"But I'm booored!"

The yellow mech's whining was interrupted by the sound of an alarm on one of the console's main screens. Shockwave checked to see who had entered his inner sanctum, and just as predicted it was Megatron, Starscream, and Soundwave. The Decepticon scientist turned off the alarm and put away his tools.

"Is it him?" Asked Shockwave's test subject.

"Yes. Lord Megatron is ahead of schedule," Shockwave replied, "Are you ready to show our master the new technology?"

"I was born ready!" The mech replied gamely.

Shockwave took that answer as a yes and left to greet Megatron, hoping that just this once he could trust that yellow headache alone in the lab.

After the sparkling formerly known as Bumblebee had been found by Megatron he had been given to Shockwave with instructions to raise him as a Decepticon warrior. Shockwave of course did as his master instructed, but he also frequently used the young mech as a test subject for his more questionable experiments. Since the mechling was of Autobot heritage no one would miss him if Shockwave accidentally killed him.

Unfortunately for Shockwave the mechling needed constant stimulation. He was curious, disrespectful of authority, and just generally sneaky. He would make a fine Decepticon once Megatron gave him a mission, and with his final upgrade completed that orn was drawing near. This was good news for Shockwave, since he wasn't sure how much more of the irritating little pest he could take.

"Shockwave," Megatron greeted the cyclops once he entered the waiting area, "This better be important. You called me away from a raid on Protohex. So, you have a new weapon to showcase?"

"Yes, Lord Megatron," Shockwave nodded his optic, "I have perfected an experiment that has been in the works for ten vorns now. I am sure you remember Project: Triple Changer."

"Ugh! That screwy idea?" Starscream scoffed, "The last mech you tried that on went so crazy it took ten of our best troops to finally put him down."

"I assure you this will not be another Blitzwing incident," Shockwave told the mouthy seeker, "I have used Wasp as a test subject and thus far he had suffered no ill effects from his new t-cog."

"Wasp? You used the youngling for this experiment?" Megatron asked, though Shockwave couldn't tell if he was angry or pleased by this news.

"Blitzwing was 425 vorns old when he underwent his transformation," Shockwave explained, "Wasp is only 16 vorns old and didn't have a final frame before the procedure. I added the dual t-cog into the frame before placing Wasp's spark inside. This allowed the transition to feel more natural than it would if an adult mech tried to relearn transformation with an untested t-cog."

"Well don't just stand there telling me about it," Megatron demanded, "Show me. Where is the mechling?"

Shockwave comm'ed Bumblebee, now Wasp, to enter the room. Megatron and company had expected the youngling to walk into the room, but instead a triangular yellow and black jet whizzed past them and then turned around to fly over their helms. The engines were a bit louder than a seeker's, but the flight maneuvers themselves were nearly seamless.

The jet then landed and transformed into robot mode, revealing Wasp.

"So, am I good or am I _good_?" Wasp asked cheekily as he struck a heroic pose for the crowd of four.

"Impressive," Megatron nodded approvingly, "Now transform into your ground mode."

Wasp felt a little pouty that Megatron wasn't more excited by his daring feats of flight, but he also knew this was no time to sulk. Not when the slagmaker was watching and judging his every move.

Wasp them transformed into his sports car alt mode and revved up his engine. He knew he didn't have to drive, but he wasn't about to miss a chance to impress an audience. He did donuts all over Shockwave's clean floor and came a mere few inches from running over Starscream's pede, which led to much cursing from the angry seeker. Wasp then curved back to where he started from and simultaneously transformed back into robot mode; pleased with himself for such a smooth drift.

"So, am I the greatest or what?" Wasp asked his fellow Decepticons.

"Brilliant," Megatron said, and Wasp smiled, "Shockwave, you have really outdone yourself this time."

Wasp's smile fell when he realized Megatron wasn't even listening to him. Deep down Wasp knew it was stupid to care what a bunch of old guys thought about him anyway, but these few precious moments of Megatron's time were all Wasp had in the way of social interaction. A more sentimental type would describe Shockwave as the only parent Wasp had ever known, but Wasp knew the pitiless scientist didn't love him. Nobody loved him. That was okay though. He was a Decepticon. He didn't need love. He needed validation. At least...that was what he told himself.

After a few more minutes of ironing out details the other Decepticons left, leaving Wasp alone with Shockwave once again. Goodbye showtime, hello boredom.

"Wasp, Megatron has given me instructions to increase your time in the training simulator," Shockwave informed his charge, "In 27 orns you are to report to the Nemesis to serve as an officer aboard the warship."

"An officer? _Really_? I get to work with Megatron and Starscream and Soundwave?" Wasp asked excitedly, "Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes! _Finally_! What can I pack and when do I leave?"

"You will report to the training simulator in 15 breems," Shockwave informed him with nowhere near the excitement level Wasp had, "We will work on your finesse and defensive maneuvers. You have speed and you know how to hit your enemy, but you still allow yourself to get hit too often for a satisfactory result. I would also suggest a cube of energon before we begin."

"Yes, Shockwave," Wasp sighed miserably; hating training with Shockwave's combat drones.

Wasp had to remind himself that it was only another couple dozen orns. Just a little while longer and then Wasp would be free. Wasp had spent his entire life locked away in Darkmount like some kind of shameful secret, and all he'd ever wanted was to be free and see the galaxy like other Decepticons could. He wasn't afraid of Autobots, and he wasn't afraid of getting hurt. He wasn't afraid of anything, and he would prove it. Soon Wasp would earn Megatron's favor and be the greatest Decepticon warrior ever.

* * *

For two solid deca-orns Wasp had been forced through rigorous trials and obstacles to prepare him for anything Megatron might ask of him. Shockwave had introduced many new elements to Wasp's routine including stealth missions, ambushes, group fighting with the Vehicons, scavenger hunts, land mines, and drones that looked as big as Megatron. Needless to say, Wasp was frequently dented and exhausted when he went to recharge at night.

On this particular orn Wasp was sitting down trying to relax for once when Shockwave entered the room with a data pad. Wasp knew this meant he was going to have to train again, but he felt so sore and just wanted to rest.

" _Come_ _on_ , Shockwave!" Wasp whined, "I'm ready now. I can go to the Nemesis already! You don't have to keep doing this to me!"

"You are ready when I say you are ready," Shockwave replied coldly, "Tonight's test is one I've been saving for a while. Consider it your final exam."

"Let me guess, you're gonna set me on fire and see how long it takes me to locate a fire hose," Wasp groused sardonically.

"No, causing permanent injury to Megatron's newest recruit would be illogical," Shockwave replied without missing a beat, "Now, look at the data pad screen."

Wasp took the screen to see what was so special on there, and noted that it was a live camera feed to the dungeon below Darkmount. That was where Autobot prisoners were kept, but Wasp wasn't allowed down there. Of course he had been down there before to taunt the Autobots, but he wasn't _allowed_ down there.

"Every exit to the building has been sealed," Shockwave explained, "For the moment, Darkmount is on total lockdown."

Shockwave then pushed a button on the data pad, and Wasp was surprised to see on the screen that a cell door had been opened. A small blue Autobot peered around the edge of the door, and upon seeing no guards decided to make a break for it.

"She cannot escape," Shockwave continued, "It is your job to hunt her down and kill her. Complete this test and you will be allowed to leave for the Nemesis."

"What? You couldn't get me a bigger one?" Wasp replied cockily, "I could rip that pit spawn apart with one servo welded to my back."

"Very well then," Shockwave said as he pushed a button to open the lab door, "Begin the hunt."

Wasp whooped as he ran out of the room and transformed into car mode, and Shockwave resisted the urge to sigh at his ward's antics. It was almost over, Shockwave told himself. Soon he would be rid of that showboating moron and be allowed to return to his other studies. Shockwave considered making more ferocious Predacons as his next project. No way could they be worse than Wasp.

* * *

This was a trap. Arcee knew this had to be a trap. No way would the prison door open for her for no good reason. She was never that lucky, and she knew Shockwave would be too careful to allow such a mistake to happen. No, the most likely conclusion was that Shockwave was testing her for some reason.

 _Well_ _let_ _him_ _test_ , Arcee thought bitterly, _I'll_ _get_ _out_ _of_ _here_ _one_ _way_ _or_ _another_. _Then_ _we'll_ _see_ _who's_ _the_ _real_ _moron_ _around_ _here_.

Arcee remembered being dragged down this hallway when she was barely conscious after her capture. She knew the door was nearby, and yet she had seen no Vehicons or other guards in pursuit. Everything felt abandoned, and it put her on edge. She knew something big was going to happen, but she didn't know what.

She snuck around despite there being no one in sight. She didn't want the security cameras to spot her and alert Shockwave to her location. She knew the stories told about that unstable mech, and she knew that his experiments were beyond cruel and should be avoided at all costs.

When Arcee made it to the door she saw that it wasn't opening upon sensing her presence. She knew it wouldn't be that easy, so she felt the door for a weak spot she could blast through to make an exit for herself. She was fortunate to not be very large. She could make an escape the Decepticons wouldn't be able to follow her through, as long as she had enough time.

"You know Autobot, from this angle it looks like you're massaging the exit door," A smug sounding voice called out from the shadows of an adjacent hallway, "I have to say, I never thought I would be jealous of a piece of architecture."

Arcee sharply turned around to see what she was up against, and a yellow and black mech stepped into the light. He was taller than her, but not by much, and his large red optics and rounded helm made him look so...young.

"Who are you?" Arcee asked guardedly.

"Your executioner," The young mech replied easily, "I'm a fair mech though, so I'll give you a head start. Go on, run. I'm the fastest Decepticon alive, and I'll have you smashed into atoms before you can even scream."

Wasp never got tired of intimidation, and he never really much cared what the consequences would be. The blue femme growled loudly and charged him; her arms releasing twin blades as she attacked him! Wasp managed to shield his faceplate with his arms, but the femme's weapon had struck past his armor and his left arm started leaking energon.

"What the-? _You_ _glitch_!" Wasp shrieked as he grabbed his bleeding arm to ebb the flow.

Arcee wasted no time with the enraged Decepticon and ran past him down the hallway. She could hear the yellow 'Con chasing her on foot, and she knew she would need to find a window to escape through.

Arcee transformed into motorcycle mode and sped through the halls as if Unicron himself was on her tail. She heard transformation behind her and used her rear view mirrors to determine what alt mode the stranger had. As good luck would have it the youngling turned into a car, a rare find among the Decepticons. Since each mech and femme could only choose one alt mode, most Decepticons chose flight whether they were proficient at it or not. It was still better than driving as far as most were concerned.

Arcee put the metal to the petal, but the Decepticon was quickly gaining on her. She turned and drifted wherever she could in an effort to lose the 'Con, but he could match her move for move. She wondered why this Decepticon had never been in battle before if he was so fast, and could only conclude he was probably a scientist or one of Shockwave's assistants or something.

Soon Arcee saw something ahead that could either spell her doom or her salvation. The next room after the hallway had no floor. It appeared to be a training room for seekers to practice flight maneuvers, and there was no safe place to land. This could work. Arcee revved up her engine, ready to jump the artificial gorge and leave that Decepticon upstart in the dust. She just hoped her smaller body meant she would jump further than him.

The room came up a fraction of a klik later, and Arcee gave it all she had as her alt mode leapt over the chasm. She was afraid she wouldn't make it and she would fall into the abyss below, but she also knew it was a kinder fate than what Shockwave had planned for her. After what felt like time in slow motion, Arcee landed roughly on the other side and slid to a stop. She transformed into robot mode, only to see a yellow jet flying over the chasm and straight toward her!

Too drained of energy to transform again, Arcee took off at a sprint. She didn't get far however before the jet flew in front of her and transformed into the yellow and black Decepticon!

"Unbelievable!" Arcee exclaimed in anger and shock, "You were a grounder. I saw you! What the scrap!?"

"Pretty impressive, huh?" The Decepticon asked haughtily, "Yep, I'm pretty much invincible. I'm a car, I'm a jet, and I'm a warrior. You know, you're a lot shorter than I thought you'd be. I've never seen a grounder femme before. Are they all as tiny as you, or did the Autobots just run out of building materials?"

"You've never seen a two-wheeler femme before?" Arcee asked in surprise, "It's a pretty common frame type."

"Well I've only ever met one femme before," The Decepticon shrugged, "Her name was Blackarachnia. She was an Insecticon. I'm pretty sure she's dead now. She liked my name and thought I was cute."

"You flirted with an Insecticon?" Arcee asked, hoping to buy some time while she thought of a way to escape.

"No, she thought I was cute because I was a sparkling," The Decepticon clarified, "Also she liked my name. I guess Wasp does sound a little Insecticon-ish"

"And that's the only femme you've ever met?" Arcee asked to be sure.

"Yeah," Wasp replied, "Shockwave keeps me on a pretty tight leash. Sometimes literally. You can see why I wanna get away from here."

"I can help you with that," Arcee jumped at the opening this conversation presented her with, "The Autobots would treat you fairly. You wouldn't have to live under oppressive conditions anymore. Help me. We can escape together."

"Tempting, but no," Wasp smirked, "Under normal circumstances I would consider sparing such a pretty femme, but killing you is my ticket out of here, and I'm not gonna waste my opportunity."

Wasp then tried to punch Arcee, but Arcee was quicker and managed to dodge the attack. She dodged every blow Wasp threw at her, but didn't try to attack right away. She observed the new Decepticon to see what weaknesses in his fighting style she could exploit. He seemed to bob and weave on his pedes and keep his fists close to his face. He would jab powerful punches her way, but her lithe frame was faster than his and therefore it was nearly impossible for him to get a hit on her. Arcee noted something else too. While Wasp's stance was technically flawless, he lacked the innovation and instinct of a more experienced fighter.

Arcee waited until Wasp threw another punch, and when he did she ducked again and lunged forward to shoot him in the faceplate! Wasp screamed and covered his face with his servos; making it impossible for him to see what Arcee was doing. She used this opportunity to make a break for it and search for an exit.

Wasp, meanwhile, couldn't allow bleeding from his arm and face to stop him from his pursuit. Shockwave ordered him to get that Autobot. It was the only way he could be free of this sterile prison and get to see the world. He had to keep her in his sights and win this battle.

Rushing down the hallway, Wasp quickly found Arcee. She was turning a corner and Wasp was gaining on her quickly. He was pretty sure that room was where Shockwave kept his botanical experiments, so it was basically a dead end. One thing Wasp had forgotten about however was that plants need natural light, and that was why Shockwave had a sunroof installed in that area. When Wasp got there Arcee was already shooting at the window and climbing a shelf full of exotic plants to make her escape.

"No!" Wasp bellowed as he turned his arm into a cannon.

He fired off several shots at the Autobot, but she managed to fling herself from one shelf to another. Wasp couldn't help but be a little impressed by her skill and tenacity. Any other day he would let her go just out of respect, but this was his final test. This was his first step to being one of Megatron's officers. He couldn't throw away a promotion and his future just for one acrobatic Autobot.

Wasp transformed into jet mode and flew up to where Arcee was just about to make it to the open sunroof. Arcee saw he was coming, and out of desperation she grabbed the first vial of something she could get her servo on and threw it at Wasp's cockpit. As luck would have it she threw black ink, which threw off Wasp's sensors and made it impossible for him to see where he was going. Wasp spun out and landed roughly on the ground below. Arcee took this moment to make good her escape.

"Uh..." Wasp groaned as he struggled to maintain consciousness, /Shockwave...I need...medbay.../


	3. Rank and File

_Author's Notes: This chapter doesn't have one specific plot point, but rather exists to show how Wasp's fellow Decepticons influence his upbringing and young adulthood. I don't really know when I'll get to the next chapter, but I figured I better not let this fic die, so I mustered the motivation to write a new chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it and have a great week :)_

* * *

Chapter 3

Rank and File

Wasp was sure he would never get his chance to shine after that Autobot femme had escaped his grasp. Shockwave was disappointed (as much as one with such little emotion could be) and he ordered Wasp to continue his training until he was better at combat and capture.

The yellow mech hated training under Shockwave. The scientist was thorough and pitiless in his regimen, and Wasp likewise had to adopt a cold and cocky exterior to combat the shame and resentment he felt for his mentor. Shockwave had been the only constant in Wasp's life for as long as he could remember, and the cyclops always made him feel helpless in a way that no other mech could. Wasp hated his adoptive parent, and ever since he failed his test he felt truly trapped.

One orn Wasp was weight training to determine how much endurance his frame had, and Shockwave was writing down the results on his data pad like usual. It had been over a joor since they began, and Wasp's arms were so tired. He wouldn't let on though. If Shockwave asked if he was damaged or experiencing distress, Wasp would simply answer with "No way, dude. Bring it on!"

It felt like the weight training would never end, but after 1.7 joors Wasp was finally granted mercy in the form of a distraction. A mech called out to speak to Shockwave, and the voice sounded really ticked off. Wasp glanced over and recognized the SIC of Megatron's army; Commander Starscream.

Wasp smirked. It wasn't often that someone with equal authority to Shockwave entered the building. It was even less often that anyone would yell at Shockwave. Wasp got off the bench he had been lying on and went to the door to see if he could hear any part of their conversation.

"...even though our master ordered it!?" Wasp heard Starscream yell through the muffling barrier.

"The subject is not yet ready," Shockwave informed Starscream stoically.

"Not ready yet!?" Starscream huffed, "You promised a working triple changer to Lord Megatron cycles ago! Either you give Megatron that triple changer, or else he'll take you apart and see what you can be reassembled into! I am not leaving without that youngling!"

" _Yes_!" Wasp whispered as he pumped his fist in the air.

This was great! Someone was fighting for his right to work on the Nemesis and get away from that sparkless mad scientist Shockwave. Wasp didn't know much about Starscream, but at that moment he could've hugged that seeker. Finally, Wasp was going to be in a real Decepticon unit. Finally, Wasp would know freedom.

The two senior officers argued for what felt like forever to Wasp, but soon Starscream came into the training room and smiled at Wasp. Well, it was clear to the youngling who had won the argument.

"Gather any possessions you may have," Starscream ordered without preamble, "Today you will report to the Nemesis and present yourself to Lord Megatron. Your duties will be explained there."

"Yes, sir!" Wasp replied eagerly, "I won't let the Decepticon cause down, sir!"

"You better not let _me_ down, youngling," Starscream warned him, "I stuck my neck out for you, and you would do well to remember that."

Before Wasp could even answer Starscream left the room. Wasp was a little surprised by how direct Starscream was. When seen with Megatron Starscream always came across as a groveling toady, but apparently he was also the type that liked to throw around what little weight he had. Well, Wasp wasn't going to allow that to dampen his mood. He was going to work as a Decepticon soldier for the first time in his short life, and he was going to make Megatron proud of him.

* * *

As it turned out, the Nemesis was currently assigned to scanning for other planets where energon had previously been seeded by the Decepticons. The energon supplies on Cybertron were running low, and whoever controlled future sources of energon would control everything. With the fall of temperatures, the oxidation of superstructure, and the depletion of energon, it was clear that Cybertron as a planet was dying and the war was to blame.

For ten vorns Wasp served on the Nemesis under Megatron's command. He had steadily risen in the ranks, thanks in no small part to recommendations from higher officers like Starscream and Soundwave. They both liked Wasp, but for very different reasons. Soundwave believed Wasp was a loyal Decepticon that could be trusted to serve Megatron loyally. Starscream however believed he could mold Wasp's young processor to be loyal to _him_.

Wasp had nothing against either officer, but he wouldn't consider them friends. They were just old mechs that told him what to do, just like Shockwave had been. He had no peers and he had no friends. Wasp only cared about his missions and keeping Lord Megatron happy. A happy Megatron was a Megatron that didn't beat or kill you, and even a brash young mech like Wasp understood that much.

Truth be told, when Wasp first arrived on the ship he actually thought Starscream could be his friend, but then late one evening when they were both drinking with other officers in the lounge something came up that Wasp just couldn't let go.

"Did you guys hear about that new medic that joined the Decepticons?" Starscream gossiped; tipsy from a cube of high grade he was drinking.

"Yeah, I heard," A mech named Counterpunch replied, "Good thing too. We don't have enough medics thanks to those stinking Autobots! They always seduce the good medics with all their peace and love malarkey. What a joke!"

"They should've kept this one too," Starscream replied with a catty grin, "Goes by the name Knockout, and from what I hear he's... _different_."

"Different how, sir?" Wasp asked, ready to rip into the stranger and show he was one of the 'Cons.

"He's a grounderr," Starscream slurred, "On purpose! Can you imagine purposefully making yourself a dirt kissing, cliff falling, Autobot impersonating hunk of *hic* scrap? Hahahahaha!"

"Um, I'm a grounder," Wasp pointed out awkwardly.

"No you're not!" Starscream waved away the remark, "You're a triple changer, mechling. You're *hic* special. Special is better than different. After all, it's not like you would've chosen a grounder alt mode if you only got to pick one, right?"

"Um, right, Commander Starscream," Wasp lied.

That conversation never left Wasp's processor. Truth be told he loved his muscle car alt mode. He maybe loved it even more than his jet mode, though he couldn't decide. Wasp considered both sides part of him, and while he hated Autobots he thought it was wrong to hate a Decepticon just because of their vehicle mode.

At the same time though he never let on to Commander Starscream that he felt that way. The best way to advance his career was to carry on with pretending to be Starscream's friend and hope no one noticed his contempt. As long as the officers were on Wasp's side and Megatron was on Wasp's side then he would always have a secure and happy life. At least, that was what he convinced himself of.

What Wasp didn't know was that ten vorns of faithful service to Megatron and begrudging obedience to the officers was about to be tested.

It had started out like any other orn, with Wasp checking out readings in the engine room and patrolling around boxes full of supplies. It was his job to make sure no one was stealing from them or sabotaging the ship, and Wasp despite his youthful exuberance took this job very seriously.

As he went around a large silver box he heard pede steps enter the room and saw that it was Starscream and another mech named Onslaught. Onslaught was a general on Cybertron and had fought many successful campaigns with his team, the Combaticons. Wasp hid behind the box to see what they would say to each other. He wanted to meet Onslaught, but first he wanted to see what this mech liked to talk about so Wasp could fit in better. It was always beneficial to pretend to care about what others cared about, after all.

"This better be worth it, Starscream," Onslaught said haughtily as he dusted off his frame with his servo.

"That's _Commander_ to you, Onslaught," Starscream growled, "And this will be more than worth your while. How many mechs can you get me?"

"My Combaticons will side with you, and I believe I can also get Airachnid and Strika," Onslaught reported, "Lugnut won't budge, but I might be able to convince Astrotrain to join us in our mutiny."

 _Mutiny_? Wasp couldn't believe what he was hearing, and at first he wanted to believe he was wrong, but it sounded like Starscream was going to...

"Betraying Megatron is not an errand to take lightly," Onslaught said, and Wasp covered his mouth to avoid a surprised gasp, "What assurances can you give me?"

"I assure you that I will turn you in if you back out now," Starscream replied bitingly.

"Seriously? But you're the leader of the mutiny," Onslaught pointed out wryly.

"Yes I am, but who will Megatron believe, his _loyal_ second in command or a lowly foot soldier with two prior offenses?" Starscream asked with a sinister grin.

Wasp realized this was indeed a conspiracy to overthrow Megatron, so he backed up his memories to a recording device and then began recording live so he could prove what he was hearing. No one accused an officer without proof after all, or else they might be the ones to feel the wrath of Megatron's fusion cannon.

"Don't worry, Onslaught," Starscream purred, "Once I am ruler of the Decepticons I will bring back our troops from deep space, give you a position of power within the city-state of Kaon, and pour our funding into the research and development of synthetic energon."

The pair of traitors continued talking, but Wasp didn't stick around to hear it. He snuck out of the room and ran down the halls to the nearest elevator. Fortunately no one noticed him as he left. Living with Shockwave for so many vorns and sneaking out so often made Wasp a bit of an expert in covert operations.

When Wasp made it to the control room Megatron was looking over Soundwave's shoulder to see what the energon scanners could detect. Wasp could tell they were still unaware of the mutiny plot, and part of him even considered not telling them. After all, what difference would it make if he served Megatron or Starscream? If he did nothing he could simply declare his allegiance to the winner.

No, Wasp couldn't do that. There was still a tiny piece of spark inside of him that believed in loyalty and honor, and Starscream's methods were not honorable. He was kissing Megatron's aft while stabbing his back, and Wasp couldn't serve a leader that could treat fellow Decepticons as so...disposable.

"Lord Megatron," Wasp announced his presence with a nervousness in his tone that was so unlike him, "Sir, I need to speak with you."

"Can it wait? Soundwave has found a promising planet with natural energon deposits," Megatron replied curtly.

"Sir, there's a traitor," Wasp replied abruptly.

This caught Megatron's attention, and he walked over to Wasp until he was standing mere feet away from him. Megatron looked even taller and more menacing up close, and Wasp had to collect himself to make sure he could present his findings without leaking transmission fluid.

"That is a bold statement, youngling," Megatron stated dispassionately, "You better have proof."

"Yes sir, I recorded the conversation," Wasp nodded professionally, and for a moment it reminded Megatron of Soundwave.

Megatron listened without showing any emotion on his faceplate as he listened to Starscream and Onslaught plot to overthrow him. When the short recording cut off Wasp looked up at his leader to see what the reaction would be.

"Thank you for your vigilance, Wasp," Megatron said neutrally, "You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," Wasp replied even as he backtracked away from Megatron.

He went back to duty not knowing what would become of the conspirators, but he just hoped that his name wasn't mentioned during the interrogation. If Starscream lived through this incident he could become a terrible enemy.

* * *

Twenty vorns after Wasp first got to the Nemesis he was finally promoted to the position of Lt. Commander and placed in charge of a squadron of 150 Vehicons. His turning Starscream in had been good for his career in the short term, but the workplace had become a more hostile battleground since then.

Megatron had killed Onslaught, the Combaticons, and Astrotrain. Airachnid went AWOL to avoid her punishment, and Strika was spared because she was Lugnut's sparkmate and Lugnut was an old friend of Megatron. As for Starscream, he was kept alive and even allowed to keep his position, but the beating he endured and his treatment ever since had been brutal.

Starscream was no fool. He knew that area of engineering had been Wasp's work station. He knew the youngling had done this to him, and ever since that orn Starscream went out of his way to make Wasp's life miserable.

There wasn't too much that could be done at first. Wasp was one of Megatron's favorites due to his youth and loyalty, so Megatron protected him. If Wasp didn't like a task given to him or felt unjustly punished by Starscream he could voice his complaints to the slagmaker himself, and then Starscream would be the one to suffer the consequences. Starscream had to watch helplessly as that upstart rose in the ranks and became physically and positionally powerful.

The hostilities were mostly confined to gossiping and backbiting for a while since neither 'Con was particularly strong, and both could be quite sneaky. Truth be told, Wasp and Starscream had a lot in common, which was exactly why they could never be friends.

The orn that would shift the balance of power forever started out quite normal. Wasp was in the cafeteria chatting with several Vehicons and bragging about his stunt maneuvers. Wasp liked talking with the Vehicons even if he couldn't remember who was who. At least it was an audience that listened to and respected him, unlike the older 'Cons who treated him like a sparkling at best and a servant at worst.

"And so then I turned and skidded to a stop right at the thin orange line!" Wasp told his latest anecdote, "But the best part was when-"

/Attention all Decepticons,/ Megatron spoke into an open channel on the comm, /I have located an untapped source of a rare type of energon. I am going to pursue this lead on my own, as I do not wish to expend unnecessary resources should this energon turn out to be a false signal. Until I return Starscream is in charge with Soundwave as his SIC. I expect you all to perform your duties as if I were still on board the ship, as I will return shortly. Megatron out./

"Starscream? Is that a good idea?" One Vehicon asked.

"Sure it is," Another one replied, "Starscream's a decent Commander. We'll be fine."

"Yeah, he's right," Wasp added, "Besides, Megatron's only going to be gone for a little while. Probably a few orns at most."

As it turned out, Wasp was very, _very_ wrong. Starscream's reign began almost immediately, and at first he didn't test his limits too far since Megatron said he would be back soon. A few orns became over half a vorn however, and everyone began to realize that Megatron was MIA. Starscream realized this as well, and began to take full advantage of his position as acting leader of the Decepticons.

Wasp had performed his duties as normal for almost a vorn with Megatron absent, and he tried to not upset Starscream while at the same time sticking closer to Soundwave. He would give all of his reports to Soundwave instead of Starscream just so he wouldn't have to cross paths with the testy seeker. That still didn't stop Starscream from calling Wasp into the control room after almost a vorn had passed.

"You wanted to see me, Commander?" Wasp asked professionally as he stood at attention before Starscream.

"Oh, I've wanted to see you like this for a _long time_ ," Starscream replied in an unusually good mood, "Wasp, I have been reviewing your performance as Lt. Commander, and I don't think you've kept the Vehicons in line well enough. You've been slacking on the job."

"Slacking? But we haven't fought any Autobots since we got here!" Wasp defended himself, "There's nothing for them to do!"

"Are you backtalking me, youngling?" Starscream asked sharply.

"Um, no sir. Sorry, sir," Wasp replied quickly, knowing the power Starscream currently had over him.

"You are disrespectful, lazy, and useless!" Starscream berated Wasp, "I see no reason why you deserve the position of Lt. Commander, and in fact if I were in a less generous mood I would have you melted down for scrap. As it stands I am demoting you to servant class janitorial duty. Be grateful that's _all_ I'm doing."

"But...but...that's Vehicon work!" Wasp sputtered indignantly.

"Oh? Would you feel more comfortable doing it in a new Vehicon frame?" Starscream asked snidely.

"No... _sir_ ," Wasp replied begrudgingly, "I'll start right away, sir."

Starscream sat back on the throne that should have been Megatron's and smiled wickedly at his victory. Wasp understood at that point...Starscream was going to make his existence a living Pit.


	4. The New World

_Author's Notes: Hey guys! Welcome back to the fic. I've been so surprised by how many people love "Killer Bee", and I'm glad you came back to read the latest chapter. This is where the plot starts to come into focus, though with a meandering detour or two. LOL! Anyway, please read and review, and thanks for your support :)_

* * *

Chapter 4

The New World

Cybertron's eventual demise was met among mechs of all creeds and classes with mourning and sorrow. Autobot and Decepticon alike had fought for control of this planet, _their_ planet, but now there was nothing left but an empty shell. Starscream was in command of the Nemesis when the final call came from Shockwave that soon the planet would need to be abandoned.

Starscream decided to go to Cybertron to aid Shockwave in relocating his lab and interrogating some captured Autobots about the location of their resistance. If the Autobots knew where a habitable planet was then the Decepticons needed to know, not only to obliterate their enemies but also to have a new place to call home. While Starscream was away on his mission Soundwave would be in charge.

Wasp meanwhile continued his duties as a janitor on the lower decks. He hated his job and took every opportunity to flake off and go racing, but there weren't many opportunities with Starscream the tyrant watching his back every five breems. Since Starscream was leaving the ship Wasp hoped to get some time off, but those hopes were dashed when he realized Soundwave would be the acting leader.

Wasp didn't hate Soundwave per se, but he also didn't understand him. Most of the Vehicons feared Soundwave because he said nothing, observed everything, and could kill a mech with a single tentacle. Wasp never showed fear to his superiors, but he was at least wary of Soundwave just in case. He would not shirk his menial duties while the ironically silent communications officer was in command.

Wasp was mopping the floor that orn when he saw two Vehicons walking by and chatting with one another. Wasp sighed irritably, knowing they would track scrap all over his freshly cleaned floor.

"Mop duty is a huge waste of triple changer technology," Wasp grumbled under his breath, "Stupid Starscream...Stupid Soundwave...Stupid everybody..."

As he continued mopping he caught a few words of what the Vehicons were saying.

"I can't believe it's just...gone," One Vehicon said to the other, "The Autobots will pay for destroying Cybertron."

"Yeah, and then Megatron will return and we will find a new greater planet!" The other one agreed enthusiastically.

"I remember when I was a sparkling," The first one said wistfully, "Cybertron was so beautiful then. Life was hard for my fellow workers and I, but the Crystal City sure was beautiful at sunset."

The Vehicons walked away and continued talking about old times, and Wasp just harrumphed and wiped over their dirty pede prints. Wasp held no real attachment to his sparklinghood or to Cybertron. He was nothing more than an experiment to win the war, and the sum total of his life experiences revolved around Shockwave's tower at Darkmount. To him there was no 'before the war', and to him there was no glorious Cybertron to miss. As far as he was concerned those Vehicons needed to get their helms out of their tailpipes and get back to work.

* * *

A few joors later Wasp had finally finished his duties and allowed himself some down time to fly around the seeker training room on deck 4. Afterward he would probably cool off with a few laps around the track in his alt mode. To many Cybertronians this particular activity would seem aimless, but Wasp loved just moving as fast as he could for as long as he could.

His training time was interrupted however when he heard a noise coming from the ceiling. At first he ignored it, but then the noise grew more desperate and more frequent. It sounded like a cross between machinery static and something bumping against the cooling vent. Wasp grew curious at the frantic sound, so he flew up to check it out.

When he arrived at first he saw nothing unusual, but then he saw the tiniest piece of dark blue armor poking out of the vent, and then saw it move as it tried to get out of the confined space. Wasp used his wing to flip the grate off the vent's access shaft, and to his surprise he saw Laserbeak fall out of the vent and toward the ground. Wasp quickly nosedived and caught the bird-shaped symbiote before it fell and broke apart, and then he transformed into robot mode to check it for injury.

"Oh, scrap! Laserbeak, what happened?" Wasp asked, but then realized it wouldn't be able to respond to him, "Were you spying in the training vents? You naughty little thing. I get it. I like to spy too. You gotta be more careful though. What would your master say if you got scrapped by some disgruntled Vehicon?"

Wasp continued to talk soothingly to the symbiote as he welded its injuries shut. Wasp wasn't a medic, but to be fair the ship didn't have a medic anymore. That had been Airachnid's job, and she abandoned ship after Starscream's failed coup. Wasp only hoped Soundwave wouldn't disassemble him for touching his precious symbiote or something.

With the loose wires repaired and the armor sealed, Wasp walked with Laserbeak up to the bridge, and could only hope Soundwave was in a good mood.

Soundwave was still monitoring communications in case Megatron or Starscream returned, and Wasp silently wondered if the mech _ever_ took any personal time.

"Excuse me, sir?" Wasp called out nervously, "I, um, I found Laserbeak, and..."

Before Wasp could finish his sentence Soundwave sharply turned around, and despite the face mask Wasp could tell Soundwave was angry. Wasp held out Laserbeak almost placatingly and Soundwave used his tentacles to retrieve the bird symbiote. The host and his dependent were rejoined when Laserbeak attached itself to Soundwave's chassis, and Wasp feared retaliation despite not actually doing anything wrong. He dared not leave without being dismissed however, as Soundwave was a stickler for the rules; much as Shockwave had been.

A moment later, Wasp noticed that the tenseness in Soundwave's body relaxed. The symbiote had probably told Soundwave what happened, and Wasp tried his best to look innocent. He actually was innocent this time, but among Decepticons that was hardly relevant.

Finally, after a moment, Soundwave used a clip of Megatron's voice to say " _Good job, Wasp. That will be all._ "

Wasp didn't question it. He just slightly bowed at Soundwave and then ran out of that room as fast as he could. He knew Soundwave was protective of his symbiote, but that was intense. He took away one thing from that encounter though: _never_ mess with Laserbeak.

* * *

It was a few decades-orns later when Starscream returned. He brought a few hundred Vehicons and Eradicons back with him from Cybertron's surface. Now that the planet was uninhabitable they had nowhere else to go. Wasp knew they would make fine additions to the Decepticon warship, but he feared that this might make Starscream more powerful and thus his reign more legitimate.

" _Status, Starscream_ ," Soundwave asked in Megatron's voice.

"The planet has been evacuated and all useful technology retrieved," Starscream informed him, "I am now relieving you of command. Also, thanks to the interrogation of two Autobot prisoners we now have the location of Optimus Prime and his motley crew of Autobot rebels. You will set course for a planet known to its natives as _earth_. The archive footage of the interrogation will be made available in the public record. It's not nearly as interesting as my tactics, but Shockwave's new brain drain toy was most useful."

" _Shockwave...Status_?" Soundwave asked in the voice of a random Vehicon.

"Unfortunately he was terminated by the Autobot prisoners during their escape," Starscream explained, not exactly sounding too upset about it, "Oh, that reminds me. Have Counterpunch ready the medbay. Several Vehicons were injured during the battle. And Wasp? You will assist him."

"Nurse duty?" Wasp groaned, "I know being a janitor isn't very dignified, but it still beats working in the medbay!"

" _Wasp_ ," Soundwave said in Starscream's voice, " _Is appropriate. Repaired Laserbeak. Ready for...new assignment_."

 _Thanks a lot, Soundjerk..._ Wasp thought to himself as he pouted.

Wasp was of course sent to the medbay by Starscream, and he had no choice but to go. He didn't even bother sending a comm to Counterpunch. He was too tired to fool with that loose cannon, and he knew Counterpunch would be upset that Starscream had sent help. Counterpunch liked to work alone, and as far as Wasp was concerned he didn't blame him. Most of the other 'Cons were jerks.

The yellow and black Decepticon entered the medbay feeling personally attacked for reasons he couldn't explain. To be fair most of his days were pretty lousy anymore, but for some reason ever since Starscream returned Wasp felt especially angry. He couldn't remember being this upset since that time Shockwave had tested steroids on him when he was 8 vorns old.

That memory suddenly made Wasp smile. He remembered how the roid rage tore him apart, and then how tired he felt after the substance wore off. Shockwave had to carry him back to his room, and then when Wasp annoyed him for a bedtime story Shockwave read him a repair manual for some type of maintenance drone or something.

Wasp then realized he was alone in the medbay, and all of the beakers and berths reminded him of some of the rooms in Darkmount. It just sort of hit him then. His mentor was gone. Shockwave was dead. Wasp never loved Shockwave, and Shockwave never loved him, so he didn't understand why this thought made him so sad. Why were his memory processors pulling up old files of Shockwave tending to his injuries, testing new concoctions with him, and his singular optic light attracting nocturnal bugs?

He didn't understand why he missed him. Shockwave wasn't his sire. He was just the scientist that twisted and warped Wasp's body until he was ready for Megatron. He was nothing to Wasp...right?

"I don't miss him," Wasp declared softly to himself, "Shockwave wouldn't even want me to miss him. It's illogical to miss him. Wait, why do I care what Shockwave would want? He never cared what I wanted. If I miss him that's my business, not his! So what if I do care that he died? So what if I care that I'll never see him again? Big deal!"

Just then, amid his tirade, Wasp heard whispering coming from the medbay's supply closet, and Wasp got curious enough to sneak over there and check it out.

"Optimus...come in, Optimus!" A voice hissed desperately from inside the supply closet, "Ratchet are you there? Anybody? Come on, somebody pick up! There's no time to waste! If anybody can hear me, the Decepticons are heading for earth. The ship will arrive soon, and you need to prepare yourselves."

" _Counterpunch_..." Wasp whispered ominously, and then louder, "Counterpunch! You traitor!"

"Ah!" Counterpunch jumped in surprise when he saw Wasp, "Hey kid, this ain't what it looks like."

"No, but it _is_ what it sounds like," Wasp growled dangerously.

"Look kid, I admit it, I'm an Autobot," Counterpunch told him as he backed against the wall, "I've been spying for vorns now. I have to. I don't hate you or any other 'Con, but I have to protect my people. Starscream will kill them all. If you turn me in they'll be helpless. You hate Starscream too, right?"

"Right..." Wasp replied cautiously.

"So, we can help each other," Counterpunch offered, "You don't tell Starscream about me, and I'll make sure Optimus knows all about your act of bravery. The Autobots would let you join in a heartbeat, and they'd treat you better than Starscream. You know Starscream doesn't appreciate your talents. You're a triple changer, a star in the making. He doesn't care, but Optimus would. You could have a better home with a better life. Just keep my secret and don't tell Starscream I'm a spy. Okay?"

Wasp stared at Counterpunch for a moment, mulling over his options. Counterpunch was nervous, knowing if Wasp chose the Decepticons then he would be tortured by Starscream until he forgot his own name. Finally, Wasp relaxed his stance a little and came to a decision.

"Okay Counterpunch, I won't tell Starscream anything."

"Really? Thanks Wasp," Counterpunch replied gratefully, "I knew there was a good mech underneath all that posturing."

Wasp stood aside and allowed Counterpunch to leave the closet. As soon as Counterpunch's back was turned to him however, Wasp turned his servo into a cannon and shot Counterpunch right in the back through his spark! Counterpunch landed in a lifeless heap on the ground; Wasp's cannon still smoking from the burst of energy.

"Don't worry, I won't tell Starscream anything," Wasp repeated in a darker tone than before, "Rest in slag, traitor."

Wasp then hacked the security footage and deleted the last two breems. He then went to the control to inform Starscream that he found Counterpunch dead in the medbay. Whether they suspected him or not was irrelevant. They'd never be able to prove it, and Wasp fully intended to keep his promise to a dying mech to not tell anyone his secret. Even if Counterpunch was a traitor, a promise was a sacred thing.

* * *

It was three deca-orns later when the Nemesis arrived on planet earth. Hovering above the terrestrial world amid the heavy atmospheric clouds, the ship almost seemed to crawl. It was a fine ship, but it was used to the weightlessness of space. For the fliers aboard said ship however, the new clouds were glorious.

Starscream had allowed all flying types to take a break to catch some air, and he did the same while leaving a Vehicon grounder in charge of the bridge. Wasp wasted no time and took to the sky; grateful for some respite from mop duty.

He flew over canyons, mountains, cliffs, and forests. It was all so alien, so strange, so wonderful. The air smelled sweet, and the avians in the sky were so tiny and, dare he think...cute. Everything was foreign, and Wasp loved it. No more thoughts of his dead mentors, Shockwave and Megatron. No more thoughts of Starscream the Terrible. No more thoughts of anything except for flying and exploring. It felt so natural, so pure. If only this moment could last forever.

A few Vehicons flew behind Wasp, both to flank him in case of battle and to watch with admiration his flying skills. Despite being an expensively built janitor, Wasp at least had some admirers in the form of the Vehicons. Things were looking good again.

At that moment Wasp and the Vehicons flew over an energon depository that they were supposed to mine later, but noticed that they weren't alone in the area. There was a red car in the vicinity. It didn't look Cybertronian, but it _felt_ Cybertronian. There was an intruder on their new world!

/Vehicons,/ Wasp said over the comm, /Attack pattern alpha four. Engage the Autobot./

Following his command, the Vehicons touched down and transformed with weapons firing. The Autobot transformed as well. He looked to be about Wasp's height and build, but was a shiny red with glinting silver horns. Another compact beast of war, just like Wasp.

The Vehicons already had the Autobot against the rocks before Wasp even landed. The Autobot flipped and shot and sliced wherever he could. A few Vehicons had already fallen, but they refused to surrender. The Autobot continued his deadly dance, unaware that Wasp had landed behind a boulder close by. As the Autobot backed up to where Wasp was, Wasp wasted no time shooting the Autobot in the back!

"AHH!" The Autobot screamed before falling to the ground in a barely conscious heap.

"Take him to Starscream," Wasp ordered his surviving troops.

"What about you, sir?" One of the Vehicons asked him.

"Yeah, like me getting credit would earn any points with His Royal Aftness," Wasp snorted derisively, "I'm going for a drive."

With that Wasp turned into vehicle mode, leaving the Autobot to his fate. He didn't have time to think about his first real victory against an Autobot. He had a brave new world to explore.


End file.
